Page 62 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

your boat was lowered? - I could not see any passengers at all before we got lowered. 12421. There were none there? - There were none there. Examined by Mr. COTTER. 12422. Just one question. How long was it from the time the ship struck until your boat was lowered? - It is impossible for me to say. 12423. Can you give us no idea at all? - No. 12424. What was the number of your boat? - No. 1. 12425. Where were you when the ship struck? - In my bunk, asleep. 12426. What did you do when you got out of your bunk? - Dressed myself, and the boatswain came and said he did not want all hands on deck. Two or three seconds after he came and ordered us all up on deck and told us to clear away the boats. 12427. How long did it take to clear away the boats? - Ten minutes. 12428. How long did it take to clear the boats? - We cleared away the port side first and then were ordered across to the starboard side. 12429. Did you go straight to No. 1 boat then? - No. I was ordered to the port emergency boat. I was ordered to put the lantern in the boat and a chronometer. I did that and came out again, and I was sent to the starboard boats. Then I was ordered into No. 1 boat. 12430. How many of the starboard boats were out when you got to No. 1 boat? - Before we got lowered? 12431. When you got round to No. 1 boat, how many of the starboard boats were swung out then? - About three or four were swung out. No. 1 boat was always swung out and No. 2. 12432. Was No. 3 swung out? - No. 12433. Where was it? - No. 3 boat was not swung out. 12434. Are you sure No. 3 boat was not swung out? - I was not there. The Commissioner: Mr. Cotter, you are always disappointing my hopes. You begin by saying, “Just one question,” and then you never keep your word. 12435. (Mr. Cotter - To the Witness.) When you were lowered to the water, was there any order given through the megaphone? - No, we had our orders before we started to lower. 12436. You were in the bow? - Yes. 12437. You would be looking towards the coxswain? - Yes. 12438. So that Hendrickson would have his back to you? - That is right. 12439. How far was Sir Duff-Gordon sitting from you? - I forget whether it was the second or the third thwart - the second thwart from me. 12440. And you could not hear any conversation? - No, no conversation at all. Examined by Mr. LEWIS. 12441. You said you did not see the ship sink? - No. 12442. Did you hear anyone mention that she had sunk? - We heard a bit of an explosion and we thought she had gone then. 12443. “We thought”? - Yes. 12444. Did you say anything about that you thought it had gone down? - We never saw the ship go down. We thought she had gone down when we heard the explosions. 12445. Did you say anything to anyone about the explosions? - No. 12446. And no one said anything to you? - No. 12447. Do not you think it is rather strange that you did not say, “the ship has gone down,” or “has it gone down”? - I did not say it, but I thought it myself, from my own feelings. I do not